Kuala lumpur: Former Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim faced charges at the Sessions Court for allegedly abusing his position to secure a leadership role and influence a substantial investment approval. Abdul Azeez, 59, who previously served as the Baling member of Parliament, pleaded not guilty to the allegations presented before Judge Azura Alwi.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Abdul Azeez allegedly used his role as TH chairman to gain a position as chairman of Putrajaya Perdana Berhad, which included an annual remuneration of RM690,000, the use of a BMW 7 Series car, and a permanent driver. He is accused of directing the then TH chief executive officer, Tan Sri Ismee Ismail, to propose him as TH's representative on the company's board. Furthermore, Abdul Azeez allegedly influenced the TH board to approve a RM193.5 million investment in Putrajaya Perdana Berhad, during the TH Board of Directors Meeting No. 4/2014, in which he had an interest.
The charge was framed under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and could lead to a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of five times the gratification value or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction. Judge Azura granted Abdul Azeez bail of RM450,000 with two local sureties and required him to report to the Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office every three months until the case is resolved. The court scheduled Nov 11 for the submission of documents.
Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib noted that the offence is non-bailable, suggesting a bail amount of RM1 million with two local sureties unrelated to the accused. DPP Law Chin How requested Abdul Azeez's passport be surrendered due to the risk of flight, pointing to the non-bailable nature of the charge and the substantial amount of money involved.
Abdul Azeez's lawyer, Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, argued for a reasonable bail amount, emphasizing that bail is meant to ensure court attendance, not as punishment. He also requested that Abdul Azeez's passport not be retained, citing his client's business commitments overseas. Amer highlighted Abdul Azeez's cooperation with MACC since 2018 and his willingness to face charges as evidence against him posing a flight risk.
The defence proposed a bail not exceeding RM500,000, with a condition for Abdul Azeez to report to the Kuala Lumpur MACC office every three to four months. However, the prosecution insisted on retaining his passport throughout the trial. The proceedings were attended by Abdul Azeez's legal team, including lawyers Datuk Abu Bakar Isa Ramat, Ashok Athimulan, and Joshua Tay, along with his supporters and family.
Abdul Azeez's remand on Aug 27 followed investigations related to the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on TH. The report, available on the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia's portal, suggested a forensic audit of past investments due to a significant decline in asset value, suspicious transactions, and concealment of information, based on findings by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst and Young, and Roland Berger.